Julius Caesar (100-44 BC)

Gaius Julius Caesar[ 13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC),known as Julius Caesar, was aRoman politician, general, and notable author of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the events that led to the demise of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire. In 60 BC, Caesar, Crassus, andPompey formed a political alliance that dominated Roman politics for several years. Their attempts to amass power asPopulares were opposed by theOptimates within the Roman Senate, among them Cato the Younger with the frequent support of Cicero. Caesar's victories in the Gallic Wars, completed by 51 BC, extended Rome's territory to the English Channel and the Rhine. Caesar became the first Roman general to cross both when he built abridge across the Rhine and conducted the first invasion of Britain.